The flora of highly degraded and vulnerable wetland ecosystems of Nyamuriro and Doho, Uganda
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Date
2007
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
African Journal of Ecology
Abstract
The wetlands of Nyamuriro and Doho were surveyed for
their flora during the period August 2001 and May 2002.
These two wetlands are highly degraded through cultivation.
The plants in these areas were documented with a
view to determining their richness and conservation
importance in Uganda. Two hundred and eight species
were recorded in 140 genera, 63 families and 37 orders in
Nyamuriro while 184 species, 109 genera, 39 families and
27 orders were recorded in Doho. Although there are no
species of global priority conservation concern, these
wetlands harbour reasonable numbers of plant species,
some of them rare, for their size. Nyamuriro has five species
of restricted range in the country occurring in only
one of the four floristic regions. Adenostemma caffrum DC.
var. longifolium Chiov., from Nyamuriro, is a new record
for Uganda. Typically high-elevation species absent in most
wetlands in Uganda, were recorded in Nyamuriro. Plants
rare in Uganda were recorded from both Doho and Nyamuriro.
These two wetland ecosystems are therefore still
vital for the country’s flora in terms of species richness,
rarity and uniqueness. Nyamuriro needs urgent action to
reverse the current trend of habitat loss and degradation.
Doho was severely altered and there is a little chance for
restoration.
Description
Keywords
Biodiversity, Conservation, Degradation, Ecosystem, Flora, Wetland
Citation
Kalema, J., & Ssegawa, P. (2007). The flora of highly degraded and vulnerable wetland ecosystems of Nyamuriro and Doho, Uganda. African Journal of Ecology, 45, 28-33.